Coffee Beans
by Thorn In Your Side
Summary: Oh no, you’re thinking, not ANOTHER Naruto high school story…and what can I promise that’s different? Not a whole lot, except some badly named beverages. KibaNaru.
1. Chapter 1

Coffee Beans

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! Just the plot of this fanfiction, thank you very much. **

**A/N: I…don't know why Naruto has a sister. He just does. Also, yes, Shizune is a little OOC, but aren't they all? Sai is just too far gone though, I'm not sure I can forgive myself for that…rhou is the currency Kakuzu mentions somewhere down the line, let's assume it has high standing. **

**Summary: Oh no, you're thinking, not ****another**** Naruto high school story…and what can I promise that's different? Not a whole lot, except some badly named beverages. KibaNaru. **

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Naruto was a happy man. Well, boy really. At fifteen years old and sophomore status in high school, he hardly qualified as a _**man**_.

But happy he was. Just a month ago, his crush of five years, Hyuuga Hinata had started to go out with him his grades and mood were on the upswing, his parents had just increased his allowance, the Spring Fling was fast approaching, and Naruto had a date.

Life was good. Naruto was feeling hot.

Little did our blond bombshell know of the bomb life was about to lob at him…

The trouble began when Naruto found himself longing to take Hinata to Pomodoro's, a fancy Italian place he couldn't really afford with just his allowance. One day, when he accompanied his sister to the local Barnes and Nobles', and abandoned he to the books in favor of the Starbucks in the store, Naruto noticed that one of the football jocks from school, Kiba, was serving his frappuchino.

"Hey," he said in surprise. Kiba was a junior for who just about everyone in the school with pheromones went gaga for. He was a gothic bisexual, the awfully stereotypical type who favored leather pants over denim and was handed detentions on a regular basis.

"Sup, dude," Kiba nodded. It was inconceivable that the It Boy of Ayame High knew Uzumaki Naruto, lowly sophomore, but he seemed to recognize the blond.

"So," Naruto continued, "You work here, huh?"

"No, I just wear the apron and serve up smoothies for free 'cause its my life's dream," the cinnamon haired boy said in all seriousness. Naruto chuckled uncertainly.

"But if you're looking for a job, there's an opening," the older boy continued.

"Nah, I don't—"  
"The perks are awesome," Kiba continued as though he hadn't heard, "You can take a break every two hours, something to drink every three hours, and free gift cards anytime…"

"Well, that's great, but I really don't—"

"Oh, and the salary's fifteen rhou an hour…"

"What?" Naruto stared. That was amazing! He could probably take Hinata out every day with that kind of money!

"Yeah. So you want the job?"

"Hell yes!"

"Great, you start now," Kiba said, throwing the smaller boy his apron. The blond caught it with a frown.

"What about you?"

"Oh, I'll get another when I come back…from my…ah, break!" with a million watt grin, Kiba slid smoothly over the end counter.

"Hold it mister. Where in Lucifer's name do you think you're going?" a female's voice demanded. Kiba flinched and stopped in the act of winking at a gaggle of pre-teen girls.

Naruto turned to face a slim, black haired woman with startlingly brown eyes standing in front of the door labeled 'Staff Only'. Her arms were crossed across her chest and she was glaring daggers at a certain boy with red face markings.

"You turn your cute little tush and march straight back here," she commanded. Scowling, Kiba turned and complied. As he passed Naruto, he blew him a kiss, and the younger boy felt something flip in his stomach. The woman watched Kiba go in, and then turned to Naruto.

"Who the heck are _**you,**_ and why are you behind my counter?" she questioned. Her hands had relocated to her hips, and the boy could see the tag on her black button up that read "Shizune, Manager". He gulped and spilled his story. She cut him off when he got to the part about him accepting the job.

"Tough cookies kid. Kiba there is in no position to be offering anyone a job. He vandalized our front windows last week and the court ordered him to 200 hours of work here in repayment. But smack my ass and call me an apple if he'll take it lying down. Always conning kids into taking his apron, the twerp is," Shizune sighed.

"So there's not an opening after all?" Naruto asked wistfully. He'd already gotten all hyped about getting a job here. Shizune considered it.

"Well, there is, but minimum wage."

"Sure, I'll take it," Naruto smiled.

"Ok," she said, "Since you're already acquainted, Kiba can train you."

It took Naruto about three days before he figured out that Shizune, who was in her final year at Soka University, was really rather fond of Kiba.

It took him much less time to figure out that said boy was a little too friendly with heterosexual guys.

"Hey baby doll," he grinned at Naruto, smacking his butt, "How's my protégée?'

"Whoa!" Naruto said, "Back up. Did you just slap my ass?"

"Ummmm yeah, and whoops!" Kiba pulled an encore, "I just did it again." With a laugh that was not unfriendly enough for Naruto to get mad about, he proceeded to explain how to tell low fat, non fat, and full fat milk apart when the labels weren't legible.

At the end of the day, Naruto wasn't quite sure what made a latte different from a frappe, but he felt that Kiba needed to be pretty sure of one thing.

As they locked up under Shizune's watchful eye, Naruto muttered confidentially to Kiba, "Hey, um, I hope you know…I mean you probably do but just to make sure…y'know, just so you know…"

"Spit it out kid, I got places to go, people to do," Kiba said, shrugging on his jacket. Naruto frowned. "Don't you mean things to do?"

"Nope."  
"Okay…well, erm, y'know, I mean, there's….I'm…not gay. Or bi."

Kiba blinked. "Your point being…?"

"Um…don't try to goose me anymore?"

"That had nothing to do with whether you're gay or not," Kiba informed him, walking into the darkness.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**I can't believe I'm actually writing one of these horrors…what next? A ramen/Naruto/Sasuke fic? Oh well. I like this story, I think its cute. But you know, that's my opinion. Share yours! –hint hint, review!-**


	2. Chapter 2

Coffee Beans

**Coffee Beans **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, nope. –shakes head sadly-**

**Ah! A review so soon, I thank thee, reviewer whose name I am far too lazy to look up as I type this! This is for you, if you're still online, a super quick update. Enjoy, doll!**

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"And then he just walked away," Naruto complained to Sasuke, his best friend and classmate. The taller boy rolled his eyes. "Complain to the manager. What he's doing is sexual harassment, dobe, he could go to jail."  
"I…what? I don't…I mean, jail?" Naruto stuttered, cowed.

"Yeah," Sakura, his other best friend, nodded, "Jail."

"The boss wouldn't listen." With that excuse, Naruto retreated to the school cafeteria. Guess who was working the lunch line?

"Hey doll!" Kiba called to him as the blond tried to escape with his lunch. Naruto didn't respond, hoping someone else would. No such luck; Kiba ran up behind him, sans apron and hairnet, and wrapped a friendly arm around his waist.

"Hey," Naruto mumbled meekly. Kiba grinned and steered him to his table, with the other popular kids.

"This is my colleague. Isn't that right, doll?" Kiba asked, winking. The jocks found that highly amusing.

"Hey, man, the kid's not gay—back off!"

"Yeah Kiba, this school's got rules!" another called out. That brought howls of laughter from everyone. Naruto bowed his head with embarrassment, and Kiba tilted it up and gazed fiercely into the azure depths.

"Don't ever be ashamed of people making fun of you," he growled, "Fight back if you can, walk away if you can't—but don't you dare be ashamed." He gave the smaller by a slight push, which was leeway enough for him to scamper back to his own clique.

"Dude," one of the girls frowned, "What was that?"

"What was what?" he asked, helping himself to her lunch. She submitted, but persisted. "You got a soft spot for that kid or something? You let him go, but we sure as hell weren't done with him."  
He chewed a hamburger slowly as he grinned.

"Maaaaaaaaybe."

0000000000000000

Naruto returned to Starbucks the next day despite Sasuke's warnings…and the next day and the day after that. Kiba 'trained' him at top speed, and in less than a day he was serving at the counter. It was actually fun, moving from the customer to the coffee maker to the flavorings to the milk to the ice-box to the baked goods, and back to the till to deliver and ring up the order with a rhythmic sort of grace he'd picked up after watching Kiba.

Wow…Naruto couldn't deny, even to himself…watching Kiba was fun. During his break, he would simply grab a hot chocolate and sit near the counter, observing the cinnamon haired boy with the sugary smile charm customers into buying at least one item more than they wanted.

As Naruto watched (grinning like a demented duck), Kiba selling a grumpy neighbor of his _**two**_ gift cards in addition to her coffee, his phone rang. Jesse McCartney's "She's No You" began to escalate in volume. It was Hinata.

"Hey Hinata!" he answered cheerfully. "Oh…oh…ok. No problem. Nah, I'm fine. Seriously. Ok. Okay…see ya later. Bye, babe."

"What was the phone call about?" Kiba asked when he came back from his break. Naruto shrugged. "My girlfriend cancelled on me. We had a date tonight, but her dad has some fancy party thing he wants her to attend."

"So you're free tonight?"

Naruto considered. It was Friday, and he generally did his weekend homework on Saturday mornings, so… "Yeah, I'm free."

"Great, you can come with me then," Kiba said, refilling the vanilla flavoring.

"What?" Naruto frowned, unsure of what he'd gotten himself into, "Go where?"

"Calm down, we're not gonna go get high," Kiba assured him, rearranging the coffee mug displays, "You 'n' me will go attend the Barista Club's semi-annual mix-off."

"Heh?" Naruto hadn't gotten a word after 'attend'.

Kiba rolled his eyes. "The Barista Club is an organization all the coffee shops—like Starbucks, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Java Joe's—are part of. The mix-off is a twice a year competition to see which shop's representatives can make the best beverage. It can be an original creation or a classic. For our region, it's our turn, so we're going," he explained.

Naruto gulped. "But I don't know anything about barista-ing!"

"Barista-ing?" Kiba laughed as he served an old man his coffee and muffin combo, "You loser. Don't worry. You don't have to do anything except stand at the stall, look good, and entertain me."

"But—"

"No buts no cuts no coconuts," Kiba chanted childishly, "You're coming."

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**This pairing…is awkward for me to write, the manic Sasunaru fan that I am…but oh well, I can manage that much for a friend, I suppose. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Coffee Beans **

**Disclaimer: Uh-uh, I don't own Naruto. –pouts-**

**A/N: Mizugetsu is not Suigetsu. Yay, this is the chapter where a very OOC Sai comes in!! **

**-does a very disturbing version of the happy dance-**

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

That was how, an hour later, Naruto found himself at the Starbucks stall at the Grand Park, smiling at the judges and serving up free samples for kids.

Soon, the rep from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf sauntered over. Naruto recognized him, it was Sai, a boy from his English class that was flamingly gay and painfully embarrassing.

"Hey," Naruto said.

"Hey," Sai replied, acknowledging their acquaintance with a grin, "Sexy stall, dickless."

"Uh…thanks…"

"We're gonna kick your ass," Kiba said cheerfully, coming up from behind him and carrying a cooler full of mini cappuccino bottles.

"Righteous cursing, man," a droopy eyed boy came over to stand with Sai. Naruto thought he looked pretty doped.

"Who the hell are you?" Kiba stared. Never one to beat around the bush, Naruto thought wryly.

"This is Mizugetsu, dude, from last year?" Sai re-introduced, "He grew his hair and went all hippie on me, so I dumped him."

"Uhhh. Great. Now buzz off before I get bored," Kiba waved them away as he served a little girl a green mint frappe.

Soon, it was time for the mixers to take their positions on stage. Kiba ascended with his weird kinda manly-girly grace Naruto had never witnessed in anyone else.

The judges counted them off, and almost all the barista wanna-bes pounced on the ingredients given to them. Kiba cracked his knuckles and began sampling everything in front of him, while Sai stared intently at the flavorings, milk and beverage powders as though prompting them to spontaneously come up with the Elixir of Life.

Kiba selected a few ingredients and set them aside. Using the tiny microwave, he began heating the richest, creamiest milk, occasionally taking it out to put in a pinch of vanilla or a dash of cinnamon. Sai, too, almost reluctantly added some ice cubes to a tall glass of skim milk.

While everyone finished, Karin, a nice redhead at the stall next to Naruto's told him, "They have an hour…but y'know, they're not really fighting for first or second place, but third. First and second will go to Kiba and Sai," she sighed, "Sai always is at the top, and everyone knows Kiba will do well. His older sister, Hana, was a genius. When she was around Starbucks held an uninterrupted record of nine wins…but in the fifth year, Sai came along, and Hana left for college."

"What's the prize?"

Karin laughed. "Technically, nothing. The competition is supposed to encourage harmony, but like most other competitions designed for that purpose, it does the exact opposite."

"Harmony between WHAT?" Naruto scoffed.

"Between the coffee houses. But there's a lot at stake—winner gets a whole lot of free publicity, their drink named as they like, the recipe made famous until the next winner comes around…and usually perks from the employer."

"Ohhhh…"

"Look," she said, "They're done!"

The judges made their way around all the contestants, sipping drinks. They nodded at some, and pulled faces at others. Finally, they coalesced around Kiba and Sai's tables, murmuring approvingly.

"Now the deliberations begin," Karin muttered.

The judges retired to their own table, discussing intently. Finally, a middle aged woman came up to the mike and announced the winners.

"Third prize goes to Yamanaka Ino and her Triple Whip Dip!"

Mild applause, a blonde with a haughty attitude stepped forth to wave to the crowd, sip her drink, and leave.

"Now, there were two contestants here who very nearly created a tie. One is an old wizard of dairy products, the other carries the legend of his onee-san with him," she paused as the applause escalated, and Kiba and Sai stepped up, "And their creations were especially amazing. However," she paused again as the crowd booed whoever was going to snatch first prize, "only one of them is going to be the best. So…second place goes to…Sai's Chill Pill!"

Thunderous applause that might have been taken for a 5.7 earthquake and roars of approval or dismay emanated from the crowd. Naruto found himself cheering madly for his partner-friend.

"That, of course, leaves first place for Kiba and his Narcotic Naruto!"

Naruto's jubilant scream froze in his throat.

No. Freaking. Way.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

**So there are those badly named beverages I was talking about…-ducks head in shame- narcotic Naruto…why, dear god, why didn't I find any better adjective?**

**And please, lovely reviewers, don't curse me for the awfully short chapter. (Unless you're Hidan. Or some equally hot religious zealot. In which case, feel free to curse away, doll. ) **


	4. Chapter 4

Coffee Beans

**Coffee Beans**

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto, and is licensed in the USA to Viz some-company-I-don't-care-about or the other…not me though. 'M'kay, baby dolls? Now get off my case. **

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Nearly five days later, Naruto still hadn't seen sight of audacious Kiba. The former had walked away in fury after the announcement at the park, and the latter hadn't shown up in school since. Or work…Naruto was starting to get worried, despite his better judgment, despite his lingering displeasure.

He didn't know why he was so angry, except for the fact that he just was. Why, just thinking about the cinnamon haired boy raised his body temperature, made his heart beat faster, and got the blood rushing to his head! Wait…those weren't…those were symptoms of infatua—

Stop.

"He's pro'ly just lying low till he thinks you're over it," Sai told him over lunch on Wednesday. The two boys had really hit it off the day after the mix-off. Barely four days of knowing each other properly and they were already fast friends. The best part? Hinata was totally fine with him hanging out with Sai.

"I hope so," Naruto fretted, shoving his noodles into his mouth, "I think I've really gotten close to that junkie."

"Speak of the Devil…"

Naruto whirled 'round, and caught sight of the back of Kiba's trademark jacket.

"Kiba!" he hollered, taking off after him. Sai waited thirty seconds before shrugging and helping himself to his friend's cookie.

Meanwhile, Naruto was still vying for his jock's attention. "'Scuse me…Kiba! Sorry…Kiba!"

Suddenly, the Goth turned and the blond almost ran into him.

"What?" he snapped, dangerously. If Naruto had been a little less excited, he would've sensed the distressed undertone, and seen the red in Kiba's eyes.

Unfortunately…

"I was freaking out about you! Where've you been? You haven't been to work, or to school…I was about to go to your house!"  
"DO you think," Kiba growled hostilely, "For one, split second, that where I am and what I do is any concern of yours?"

"Wha—?" Naruto was confused.

The older boy let out a harsh, cruel laugh. "Don't tell me," he sneered, "That just because I let you follow me around like a puppy…like a slave, you thought you were my friend or something?"

Now Naruto was confused, and hurt.

"Or maybe you thought I was interested in you?" Kiba sniggered, "You liked me slapping your ass and thought you'd get a little more if you hung around?"

Embarrassment added to the commotion in Naruto's head. A crowd was forming, honing in on the unfolding drama. He grappled desperately with his mind for some ammunition to throw at the boy that was killing him with words.

"You named your stupid drink after me!" was all that burst out, impassioned with rage and sadness.

"And that's a sign of undying love, right?"

"You didn't have to do that," Naruto yelled, getting pissed, "You're so fucked up! One minute you're all over me like you're my best friend, then you turn around and start accusing me of all sorts of crap! You're messed up, Kiba!"

The older boy's features went livid. "_**I'm**_ messed up? That's rich, coming from a freak that got his first girlfriend and yet checks me out every day! That's good, all that hinting about me betraying you when the second I'm not around, you go run to Sai!"

"OK, a) I never hinted about you betraying me, b) _**I never checked you out!!**_ And c) Sai's a friend! I'm allowed to know other people besides you, okay?! Why do you care, it's not like we're in love!"

Kiba opened his mouth to retaliate, and then closed it. A deep furrow etched itself into his brow. A weird calm stole over him, like the calm before a really bad storm strikes. Naruto waited, a little nervous.

"Well, maybe I do."

The blond gaped. "Heh?"

"Maybe I do love you," Kiba said. He seemed to surprise even himself. "Maybe I love you," he said again, as though tasting the words, trying them out.

"Stop saying that!" Naruto commanded in an annoyingly squeaky voice.

"I love you…"

"Stop it," he said, a little louder, a little softer.

"I love you," Kiba grinned. He seemed to like it. Before Naruto realized what he was up to, he'd leaned in and kissed him.

Later, when asked about it, all Naruto could really say with any degree of confidence was that during and for some time after the kiss, all he could think was, _Well that's nothing like how it is with Hinata. _

A riot of emotions exploded in his head, his heart, his stomach, his loins. First came disgust, quickly stampeded by shock and curiosity. Kiba was _**nothing**_ like Hinata. _**He'd**_ initiated those kisses, for one. It had been clumsy and cute, hands fumbling for a grip on her back, her waist…lips unsure of where to go, what to do.

But Kiba, well, wow! He had no such issues. With the ease of someone who did it a hundred times a day, his lips pressed against Naruto's. The younger boy opened his mouth completely by accident, and it was all the invitation the cinnamon haired one needed for his tongue to slither in. the moment his tongue was in, Kiba's arms wrapped themselves around his waist, pulling him in close and warm against the suddenly chilly spring winds.

It was impossible to not respond. Barely aware of what he was doing, Naruto allowed his arms to entwine Kiba's neck, and pressed himself up against the older boy.

Then, like a thunderbolt, a voice drenched with agony and heartbreak jerked them out of their reverie.

"Naruto-kun?!" it beseeched him, begging him to prove that this wasn't happening. But Naruto was still searching for name to go with that voice, and that face, and those haunting white eyes filled to the brim with tears.

"Hinata!" yelled his brain.

"Kiba!" yelled his mouth.

She gave him a look that literally brought him to his knees, and ran. After a while, he was aware of someone guiding him away from the dissolving crowd, gripping his arm tightly with fear, or distress, or possessiveness. He looked up, half hoping to see Kiba, half hoping to see Hinata, fully expecting to see Sai.

"C'mere," the boy said, sitting him down at a desk. Naruto registered, vaguely, detachedly, that this was Iruka-sensei's classroom.

"Now," Sai said, "I might've missed something back there, but why the hell were you making out with Kiba?"

"He started it," Naruto said sullenly.

"I don't care who started it, I'll end it!"

Naruto glanced at him, confused.

"Wait, wrong line…oh, right! I don't care if he started, you should've ended it!"  
"I tried!"

"Oh? Was that before or after you frenched him?"

"During—I mean, no! Wait…uh…" Naruto trailed off, unsure of exactly when he'd resisted Kiba. The truth was, they both knew he hadn't.

"Y'know," Sai said, a little more gently, "I'm only concerned about you. Now Kiba's gonna think you like him, and the whole school's sure you're at least bi."

"Hinata…"

"There's her too. You'll be lucky if she ever looks at you again; what were you thinking?"

"I wasn't!" Naruto said plaintively. He stood up, fighting off a head rush. "I've gotta go make things right!"

"What'll you say?" Sai demanded, roughly pushing him back down, "'Hey Hinata, so sorry I kissed a guy and screamed his name at you, can we stay together'?"

"I have to do _**something**_!"

"Yeah, you have to explain to Kiba that you are completely straight, and that kiss was the result of utter shock and the world's lousiest reflexes and a momentary lapse of reason. Then you can grovel at Hinata's feet and think of a vaguely believable lie and hope she takes you back."

Naruto frowned. "But—"

"But what?" Sai said impatiently.

"I…can't say that," the blond said in an extremely small voice. His friend stared at him.

"Can't say what?" he asked cautiously.

"That I'm completely straight. I don't know anymore—"

"Are you attracted to men?" Sai interrupted, "When you look at Kiba, do you feel anything like you feel with Hinata?"

Naruto entertained the thought for a while. "I get all weird when he…"

"Enough," Sai said weakly, passing a hand over his eyes, "Enough. You feel for him, don't you?"

The other boy nodded miserably.

"Then you have to break up with Hinata."

"No!" the word burst forth without his volition, "I can't. I like her too."

Sai let out a violent breath. Kneading his eyes with his palms, he said, "You have to choose. Boy or girl? Kiba or Hinata? Homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual?"

"I want to talk to Kiba," Naruto replied in a dulled tone.

So, after school, after two hours of excruciating shame, two hours of discreet glances and wicked mutterings and hushed tones, Naruto made his way to Starbucks. He found Kiba and asked for a moment.

"What's up?" the older boy asked.

Naruto was taken by surprise at the decidedly casual tone of voice. He took a deep breath, Sai's words ringing in his head. Boy or girl? He'd made his choice.

"I like you." There. He'd said it. He'd said the words. Naruto waited for some kind of response from the cinnamon haired boy. He wasn't sure what to expect…but this _**silence**_ wasn't it. He looked up to find Kiba looking at him with a kind of expectant air…expecting what? He _**had**_ said the words, right?

"I like you," he repeated to be sure.

"I heard you," Kiba said. Naruto heard a laugh in his voice. He felt, for the first time since meeting the boy, at peace. Kiba liked him, and Naruto would make his peace with not being straight later. He wrapped his arms around the older boy.

Kiba shrugged him off. Naruto looked up at him, confused.

"I didn't say I like you."

"No," the blond grinned, "You said you loved me. But hey, don't push it. We haven't even had a first date." A pang of guilt stabbed his heart. First date…the word Hinata floated through his head, and he promised to make his peace with her too. Or he could never look at her again, and he craved her friendship just as much as he wanted Kiba.

"You don't get it," Kiba ground out, "I said I loved you. I don't remember saying I wanted to go out with you."

Something stirred in Naruto's heart, taking time to register in his elated state to register as fear.

"Wh-what?"

"I hope you haven't dumped that girlfriend of yours," Kiba continued remorselessly, "Anyway, what I mean is, my crushes don't last long. Besides, I have an image to uphold. I can't just go out with your type."

Naruto gaped, anger bubbling in his stomach. "Y-you…you idiot!" he shouted, "Why? Why did you have to say you love me then? Why did you have to kiss me? Why right did you have, to just walk in an ruin my life?"

Kiba stared at him coldly. Naruto's anger abated, leaving him deeply weary.

"Go away, Kiba," he said, tearing up inside, "Go away. Leave me alone. If I ever even run into you again, just ignore me. Please."

Kiba did a very kind thing, and obliged. He turned his back on the younger boy and strode off towards the sun.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**Wow, Kiba's a bitch. Never mind that I wrote him that way, hmmm?**


	5. Chapter 5

Coffee Beans

**Coffee Beans**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I will accept fan mail! –gets hit in the head with a shoe- or not…**

**A/N: Ack! Did Kiba just kiss Naruto and then blow him off? Whatever will happen next!? Well you won't find out reading this utterly useless author's note…onwards!**

**Um…this is the last chapter! –did not see that coming- **

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"Mrs. Hyuuga? Is Hinata home?" Naruto tentatively asked the scowling, beautiful woman who answered the door.

"You'll be the Uzumaki boy, then?" she asked. He nodded, painfully aware that she hadn't told her parents they were going out.

"She's upset about you. I didn't know you kids were dating."

"We still are," he assured her, attempting a confident smile. _Kiba's smile, _a part of his brain whispered, before it was crushed by his heart sitting on it. Hinata's mother looked unconvinced. "May I come in?"

"Of course, where are my manners?" Mrs. Hyuuga said. He entered their simple, homey parlor. "She's upstairs, I'll ask her down," the lady of the house nodded at the stairs, "Oh, and I wouldn't be that sure of a continued…relationship if I were you. Hinata is _**quite**_ upset, and while it is beneath me to meddle in my daughter's love life, I admit I'm curious to know what hurt her so badly."

The look she gave him suggested that she was more than just curious, and that it wasn't at all beneath her to meddle.

"I've come to make things right," he said, "I wouldn't, _**couldn't**_ hurt her on purpose."

Hinata came down. She held her head up high, her eyes boring into his for an explanation. Naruto knew at that moment that he loved her. Not romantically, but as a friend, a sister. He would break the bones of anyone who hurt her, even himself. She looked so serene, and regal, and broken, sitting across him, he thought he would die for her.

"I love you," he blurted out. Nothing stirred in her expression, but her demure white eyes pried deeper into his soul, searching for the truth. He faced her gaze boldly, wanting her to see.

"I do," he said fiercely.

"You kissed him." It came out as a statement, but Naruto knew there was an accusation hidden in there.

"Yes. I like him. Don't ask me about my sexuality, please," he raised his hands to forestall her question. She flicked her gaze to the ground for an instant, and then resumed her interrogation of his soul with her eyes.

"We were good friends when I asked you out," he reminded her, "Listen to this as your friend's story." The tale came out, from the meeting at Starbucks, all his feelings laid out for her, all the truths that he knew put under her scrutiny.

"I don't know what to do. All I know is that I can't have you hating me."

"I don't hate you, Naruto-kun."

"If that's true, then I can't tell you how relieved I am."

"It's true."

They sat in silence for a while, each wandering their own dim corridors of thought.

Naruto stood up, saying, "Guess I better get home, then…"

"Try again," she said, suddenly. Naruto glanced at her uncomprehendingly. "Try again. With…him." There was a slightly bitter tone on the word him.

"Is that a request, or a suggestion?"

"It's good advice from a good friend."

He nodded, shrugged on his sweater and left.

000000000000000

"Naruto!" Minato yelled, "Phone call for you, it's Sai!"

He thundered down the stairs. "Thanks dad, I got it."

"Your cell phone is switched off," Sai began unabashedly, "Are you hiding?"

"No, it ran out of battery and I was too lazy to charge it."

"How'd it go with Kiba."

Naruto pulled a face that Sai couldn't see. "Like hell. Listen—" the blond stopped as he heard the line click. His sister. "Ayako, 'm on the phone!" he hissed.

"Well get off it, I need to call Renji for calculus homework!"

"You have a cell phone!"

"So do you!" she shot back.

With a growl of frustration, Naruto appealed to his father. Minato sighed. "Honey, give your brother the phone, you have a cell!"

"Evil tattletale punk," Ayako scoffed into the lie, and hung up.

"Ok, so where was I?"

Sai sighed. "If this is something you can tell me in front of your parents, I'm not sure that it's interesting enough to listen to."

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving!" Naruto said, relocating to his balcony. He heard another click on the phone and was about to tell his sister to shove her calculus homework up somewhere when he realized it was call waiting.

"Ugh, hold on," he said, switching the lines.

"Hello?" he snapped.

"Hello, Mrs. Uzumaki? May I speak to Naruto, this is his friend, Kiba."

"Uh…um…" the sophomore stammered, aghast. Why had Kiba called? Duly noting to take the older boy to task for confusing him with his mom, Naruto made his excuses to Sai and got back to Kiba.

"Yeah?" he demanded, gruffly.

"I'm sorry—" the cinnamon haired boy was cut off by the blond.

"You better be sorry! You're an _easel_, you know that!?"

There was a pregnant pause on the other side. Then: "What the hell's an easel?"

"It's Dutch for asshole."

"I didn't think you'd be this mad," Kiba said, sounding surprised, "Do you sleep early?"

"I—what?"

"You go to bed this early? I was apologizing for calling so late, but Starbucks is closed tomorrow to honor the kid that died in the curb accident today and Shizune wanted me to tell—"

"Is _**that**_ why you called?" Naruto said, his voice steely, "To tell me the store is closed?"

"Well, yeah…"

Naruto hung up, glaring at the phone with his blood rushing loudly in his ears and his face hot with anger and shame. Furious, he dialed Sai to report the latest.

0000000000000000000

Across the town, Kiba stared at his phone and slowly slipped it back into his pocket. Hana, his sister, watched him from a distance.

"Otouto? What's up with that, the store isn't closed tomorrow."

"I know."

"So why…?"

"I don't want him there. It hurts."

Hana blinked. "So…you like him."

The boy nodded, miserable, and let his onee-san wrap her arms around him protectively. "So what's stopping you from having him?"  
"I can't do that to him. He doesn't deserve crap like me, doesn't deserve what I put my other boyfriends and girlfriends through. I am everything people like him detest. He may want me now, but what if it's just…for now? Temporary?"

Hana pushed him away roughly. "Are you fucking with me, Inuzuka? Dude, you're a teenager! The chances of you finding true love now are MINISCULE. You're just gonna have to accept the fact that yeah, it may be temporary. You can't let that stop you, dammit! I've never seen you happier than when you're with him!"

Kiba shrugged. She plugged him in the shoulder, hard.

"Owwww, onee-san!" he whined.

"GO! Ask him out and apologize! Now!"

0000000000000000000

"Mrs. Uzumaki? I'm so sorry, I know it's late, but may I please speak to Naruto?"

Kushina surveyed the young boy standing on her porch. The hair, the clothes, the posture, the face tattoos, and the earring all screamed 'TROUBLE' but there was an earnest, honest look in his eye that the far-gone ones didn't have.

"Sure sweetie, come on in," she invited, smiling.

The blond stampeded downstairs, wearing his 'old' Buzz Lightyear pajamas that had 'sentimental value'.

"Off to infinity and beyond?" Kiba asked him, jaw dropping open.

"What? Oh—crap," Naruto said, looking down at himself.

"I'm here to give you two things," Kiba said. Naruto frowned. "What?"

"This," Kiba smirked, kissing him on the lips.

"Oh."

"And this," the older boy went down on both knees, pulling the sophomore with him. He pulled out a scarlet ribbon with a silver half moon locked on it out of his pocket.

"I love you. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anything. I love you with all the passion of my age, and all the sincerity of time. I know I've been a pig, but I loved you so much I was scared you'd hurt me. I love you so much, it's insane. I love your voice, the way you talk, they way you think, I love your eyes, I love your laugh and your smile, I love your thoughts, I love your heart and your guts and your mind and your stupid PJ's and if you have one, I even love your dick."

Naruto simply stared at him for a while. Kiba tied the necklace around his neck. The boy still withheld his words.

"If you would agree to go out with me, I would try as hard as I can to never hurt you, and never yell at you…or stuff. I'll be crap, a crap head, I'll say all sorts of shit, but I don't think I'll ever stop loving you. And that's the truth."

Naruto considered it. "You were an _easel._"

"A real, big, fat, _easel_," Kiba agreed.

"A big asshole."

"A _**really**_ big one."

Naruto's face cracked into a wide grin, and he threw himself into his Kiba's arms. "I love you too, you big _easel._"

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**It's over!! **


End file.
